all the people Chapt. XXXI 9 13. As in the three foresaid particulars some would have it Nor yet is it this Book only or that Song only Deut. XXXII that was to be put and placed by the Priests in at or by the side of the Arke of the Covenant Deut. XXXI 25 26. But the whole book of the Law the five Books of Moses were to be Copied out by the King read in every Sabbath-year and laid up and preserved safe by the Arke of the Testimony The Judicial Lawes most of all mentioned in this Book and peculiarly belonging to the Countrey and People of the Jewes are grounded upon an equity of Right Reason for that Countrey and People And so far are useful to all others The ten first Chapters are most-what of precedent Passages Repetitions of what things were formerly done with Exhortations to Obedience intermixed Moses yet herein not binding himself to an exact order in observation of the times and places These Is an Inscription of the whole book chapter I verse 1 and an accurate description of the Place where Moses delivered and did what in this book is contained Eleven The eleven dayes journey end either at Kadesh-barneah verse 2 or compassing about by the way of Mount Seir and Kadesh-barneah it ends at and in the Plaines of Moab Both which serâ—â— to shew how soone they might have come from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan had they not provoked God by their sinne Num. XIV instead of that eleven dayes journey to keep them wandring in the wildernesse 38. years after Horeb Horeb and Mount Sinai are taken for the same Exod. III 1. See on that Text Deut. I. 2 6 19. and IV. 10 15. and V. 2. and IX 8. 1 King XIX 8 Mal. IV. 4. They being close neighbours or rather two tops of the same Mount The Israelites abode almost a year there Deut. I. 6. Exod. XIX 1 Num. X. 11. Og that dwelt at Ashteroth verse 4 was slaine in Edrei another of his royal Cities Ch. III. 1. Num. XXI 33. Josh. XIII 12 31. and XII 4. Angry Gods anger at Moses here mentioned verse 37 was not in the second year when and where the Spies were sent from Kadesh-barnea Num. XIII and XIV But in the fourtieth year at that other Kadesh when and where Miriam died Num. XX. 1 2 12. Many dayes The Israelites abode in Kadesh many dayes verse 46 And they compassed Mount Seir many dayes The space in which they came from Kadesh-barnea till they came over the brook Zered or pitch'd in the Valley of Zared in Moab being their thirty ninth Station was thirty eight years which was in the beginning of the fourtieth year of their coming out of Egypt Deut. II. 1 2 3 7 14. some take thirty seven years and a half of this time to be spent at Kadesh-barnea And sure the most of it was spent there and the lesser and later part of it in compassing Mount Seir And the other half year spent in coming from Mount Seir to Zered See Deut. II. 7. Distresse not And so chapter II verse 9 v. 19. The Israelites forbidden to distresse the Moabites and Ammonites or to possesse their Lands Yet what Sihon had lately conquered from them and possessed which was no small part of their Countreys all that the Israelites conquering Sihon by right of that Conquest did fairly possesse Josh. XIII 15 25. Judg. XI 12 27. Gyants There are mentioned Anakims verse 11 Emims Zanzummims Rephaims as several races of Gaints Deut. II. 11 20. and Ch. III. 11 13. Num. XIII 33. See further Gen. VI. 4 1 Sam. XVII 4. and 2 Sam. XXI 16 22. Mount Sion chapter IV verse 48 which is Hermon Called by the Sidonians Syrion by the Amorites Shenir in the Valley of Lebanon Deut. III. 9. and IV. 48. Josh. XI 17. and XIII 5. and XII 5. 1 Chron. V. 23. And Mount Sion that strong hold in the City of David being the South-part of Jerusalem and not seated on the North-side of it 2 Sam. V. 7 9. 1 King VIII 1. Psal. II. 6. and IX 11. and XLVIII 2. upon which Text see the Annotations are two differing Mountains and farre asunder They differ also in their Original Characters and letters the former being written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the later 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the New Testament write the later also Sion Rom. IX 33 〈◊〉 XI 26. As likewise the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written Sidon And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written Tyre Matth. XI 21 22. Called We may not conceive a miracle in Moses voice chapter V verse 1 as some do on this place My Commandments So it is in the Masorets marginal reading verse 10 But in the Text it is his Commandments And may import the words of Moses expounding the sense and meaning of Gods words that went next before Seventh day Some words are added by Moses to those uttered by God on Mount Sinai verse 14 15. Exod. XX. 10 11. as an Explication of them And also a Reason is given of the fourth Commandment differing altogether from that Reason in Exod. XX. 11. which Reason here yet evinceth not that therefore God brought the Israelites out of Egypt on the sabbath-Sabbath-day But the putting of Wife before House ver 21. contrary to that order of House before Wife in Exod. XX. 17. confounds the late Papists silly shift in dividing the last Commandment into two to make up ten Deut. IV. 13. to colour thereby their taking away the second Commandment or shufling of it into the first so that by them is not known which is the ninth and which the tenth Commandment Seven Nations So many are here reckoned chapter VII verse 1 And so Iosh. III. 10. Six in Exod. XXXIII 2. Deut. XX. 17. Iudg. III. 5. In many places fewer In Gen. XV. 19 20 21. ten Nations are reckoned And among them the Philistines are never mentioned Yet all the inhabitants of the whole Land go many times under the names of Canaanites and Amorites as Gen. XXIV 3. and Ch. XV. 16. Utterly destroy them Such is Gods Command verse 2 And such his Promise of assistance v. 16. See Exod. XXXIV 11 12. Deut. IX 3. and XX. 16 17. Yet this was not a thing to be done in one year or in Ioshuah's Life-time Iosh. XXIII 4 5 13. Iudg. l. 9 21 27 29 30 31 33 34. But by little and little Exod. XXIII 29 30. Deut. VII 22. Yet God justly threatens and blames them for their neglect in Conquering and Expelling them Num. XXXIII 55 56. Josh. XXIII 13. Judg. II. 3 21 22 23. And he never gave them the possession of their full Bounds as of Tyre Sidon and of all the Land of the Philistines because they kept not for their part the Condition of their Covenant with him Judg. II. 20 21. Neither shalt thou Marriage forbid with the Canaanites strictly verse 3 Yea also forbid with the Ammonites Moabites and Egyptians Ezra IX 1 2.
so it will seem to have the best coherence with the words next following and the story ensuing of the Creation of the Heavens and Earth the second and third day light day Strictly and usually so taken otherwise called an Artificiall day consisting of about twelve houres John 119 As the natural day consists of 24. houres Both there are mentioned ch 7. 12 17. V. 5. And the evening c. The Evening which is the beginning of the Night and the Morning which is the beginning of the Day are called the first day largely taken the Day natural of 24 houres And here observe that as Darknesse was before Light v 2 3. so the Evening and Night is made and reckoned the beginning and first part of the natural day or large day of 24. houres And accordingly the large Day is called an Evening Morning Dan. 8. 14 26. And by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Night-Day 2 Cor. 11. 25. And as Moses doth here so God commanded it and the Jewes observed it to reckon the beginning of their large Day at the Evening Lev. 23. 32. From evening to evening you shall celebrate your Sabbath And so for eating unleavened bread at the Passeover Exod. 12 18 In the first moneth on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the twenty one day of the moneth at even And ye we finde in the dayes of our Saviour the reckoning altered that they began their natural and large Day in the Morning as appeares in the Evangelists recording the History of our Saviours Resurrection Mat. 28. 1. Mar. 16. 1 2 9. ch 15. 42. Luke 24. 1 Joh. 20. 1 19. Which alteration might haply be occasioned by the accompt of the Romans and complyance with them who then had the sovereignty and dominion over them Now these two things well observed may haply serve to assoyle a doubt and clear a difficulty The case is this Our Saviour did eat the Passeover twenty foure houres before the Jewes did eat it And this is clear out of the Gospels Matth. 26. 17 18 19 20 47. Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 54. Joh 18. 28. and 9. 14 31 42. That our Saviour did not anticipate the day by reason of his future Passion But kept the right day appointed in the Law we are not to doubt of it Considering the strictnesse of the Command for the day Exod. 13. 10. And Christs coming to fulfil all righteousnesse to keep the Law both Moral and Levitical And that he did so in this point and particular appears also Matth. 26. 17. Marke 14. 12. Neither do those words in Joh. 13. 1 2. disagree from it The words there mentioned before the feast of the Passeover appearing to be understood of two dayes before the Passeover Mat 26. 2. And being spoken on the Mount of Olives Mat. 24. 3. And the Supper there mentioned being to be understood of the Supper in the night of the Passeover which was kept in Jerusalem Mat. 26. 17. And those loavs of bread in the Gospel Matth. 16. 9 10. could make and multiply the waters of the Deluge to rise to such an height and that as little by miracle as the other way must needs imply Now the right day was the fourteenth day of the first moneth Abib or Nisan in the evening or betweene the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. i. e. betweene the two extremities of the evening-tide whereof the former belonged to the end of the declining day the ending which was the thirteenth day not the fourteenth as in the late learned and large Annotations on Matth. 26. 17 the latter belonged to the beginning of the night when the day following is said to begin Gen. 1. 5. which was the fourteenth day at the beginning and evening whereof the Passeover was to be eaten as appears verse 18. Now how it came to passe that the Jews kept the wrong day and why so is the question and difficulty remaining Some speak of a Jewish Tradition That after the returne from the Babylenian captivity They ordered and altered the time so as the day of eating the Passeover might not fall on the Munday Wednesday or Friday but then they put it off to the day following The truth of this Tradition I am ignorant of much more of any reason why they should dare to have such a Tradition and Order But finding in the Gospels The Accompt for the Beginning of the natural large day of twenty four hours altered from the Evening to the Morning as was formerly observed I rather conceive that both our Saviour and the Jewes may be said to eat the Passeover on the same day viz. both on the Friday and at the evening too so it be understood according to their own several mindes and meanings reckonings and accountings Our Saviour rightly beginning and ending the day from evening to evening and the Jews erroneously from morning to morning The issue so wil be this That on the thirteenth day consisting of twelve hours from morning to evening called an artificial day the Disciples prepared the Passeover for our Saviour which is therefore called the first day of the feast of unleavened bread Matth. 26. 17 18 19. And when the â—ven was come which was the true Beginning of the fourteenth day Jesus sate down with the twelve to eate the Passeover Matth. 26. 20. according to the Law The Morning after and so on till the Evening making an artificial day which indeed was the true later part of the fourteenth natural day our Saviour was examined condemned and at last suffered And that time is called the Jewes Preparation Luke 23. 54. John 19 31 42. the Preparation of their Passeover John 19. 14. the Preparation before the Sabbath Marke 15. 42. And the Evening following which was the later part of their fourteenth day in their account they did eat their Passeover And the day following which was the Sabbath is called the day after the Preparation Matth. 27. 62. And whereas to countenance that pretended Jewish Tradition for putting off the eating of the Paschal Lamb from the Friday to the Saturday which was their Sabbath-day those words of John are alledged for that Sabbath was an high day John 19. 31. I answer That it is called an high day because it was the Sabbath that fell within the compasse of that high and solemne Feast But all this I propound and submit to the judgement of the learned And again This Observation of the true Beginning of the day at the Evening Together with the Alteration of it from the Evening to the Morning in the dayes of our Saviour may help to quiet that controversie which of late hath troubled too many about the Beginning and Ending of the Christian Sabbath or Lords day rather For if we will begin it as the Jewes began their Sabbath by Gods own appointment and as the Beginning of the natural day of twenty four hours was reckoned from the Creation Then sure we
them to be twirs that at a yeare old they were carried into Egypt For thus the reckoning will rise to the fourty third or fourty fourth yeare of Judahs age But these supposed reckonings seem so harsh in that age of the world to the most learned favourers of this opinion that they choose to ease or avoid this to say rather that Hezron and Hamul were not carried down into Egypt but were borne afterwards in Egypt so the learned late Annot. on ch 46. 12. But this were to offer such plain violence to that text and to the drift of that whole chapter and giving way for others borne after in Egypt to be reckoned in as well as they for why not others as well as they and so the whole number to be altered and the intent of the Holy Ghost disappointed that I think upon due consideration had not many will comply with that conceit And the same Annotators disclaim it themselves in their Annotations on ch 38. 1. The other opinion whereunto my resolution bends is this that Jacob being seventy five yeares old married both sisters at the beginning of the fourteen yeares service fulfilling a week in keeping the feast at the marriage of the one and so again presently after at the marriage of the other And the enjoying not the want and hopeful expectation of Rachel made his seven years service for her seem unto him to be buâ— a few dayes This addition of seven yeares to the former opinion gives faire way to the birth of all the twelve children in that order and sequence of time as the letter of the words and context of the story do require and gives further scope which yet is little enough for the time of the birth of Hezron and Hamul in the fiftieth year of Judahs age as this opinion makes it when he and they went down with Jacob into Egypt The only difficulty here occuring is the exposition of some words and sentences seeming to favour the first opinion which yet may better receive a commodious interpretation then involve and intangle us in greater perplexities and draw upon us the fore-mentioned incongruities if not impossibilities The text then here saith That Jacob served seven yeares for Rahel that is after he had married her And so all Expositors agree that indeed he did so though most of them infer it upon their construction of the 27. and 28. verses but a few dayes If he had not enjoyed her by marriage all those seven yeares of his service they would have seemed a longsome and tedious time For hope deserred maketh the heart sick Prov. 13. 12. And love makes men think everyday a year till they enjoy the Party loved V. 21. And Jacob said That is had said for my dayes are fulfilled That is I am full of dayes and ripe for marriage being now seventy five yeares old and my brother Esau of my age being married thirty five yeares ago ch 26. 34. that I may go in unto her Not go away with her but use her as my wise whiles I perform my covenanted service of seven yeers for her V. 22. And Laban gathered Had gathered The Hebrews want a preterpluperfect tense V. 23. He took Leah Being veiled as the manner was in bringing Brides into the Bride-chamber Joel 2. 16. and unto their husbands in the dark for modesty sake ch 24. 65. ch 38. 15 16. V. 25. What is this For he hated Leah v. 31. did not I serve with thee for Rachel Covenant to serve with thee beguiled me In the dark and by her silence or soft whispering likely upon her fathers direction which Jacob also might impute to her modesty V. 26. Not be so done in our country Custom here only pretended to cover his accustomed fraud Else he should have said so before and told it V. 27. Fulfil her wâ—â—k The week-feast for Leah and keep her with thee reject her not The marriage-feast continued a week Judg. 14. 10 12 15 17. Thus Laban provides that Jacob by voluntary consent to this marriage with Leah should not be able afterwards to put her away give thee this also for the service All Expositors here agree that Jacob did not first serve these seven yeares and after marry Rachel But married her first and served after V. 28. And fulfilled her week Leahs week for her marriage-feast Or it may be understood of Rachels week for her marriage-feast presently succeeding the other V. 30. And he went in also unto Rachel At the first Creation in Adams time And again in Noahs time when there was most need of multiplication of mankinde yet God allotted but one woman for one man And therefore though the Law against plurality of wives was not yet so expressely and literally declared nor against the marriage of two sisters as afterwards it was Lev. 18. 18. yet this here in Jacob cannot be allowed unlesse besides a disposition of the divine Providâ—â—ce in it there were a dispensation by divine authority for it Neither may it without like warrant be drawn into example As neither the example of Abraham taking Hagar nor Jacobs taking here of Zilpah and Bilhah V. 31. Hated Not simply but in comparison of Rachel v. 30. so in Deut. 21. 15. Mat. 6. 24. Luke 14. 26. John 12. 25. V. 35. Now will I praise Openly in solemn manner This here applied to the Lord is after applied to Judah himself ch 49. 8. of Judah the Nation were afterwards called Jewes and left bearing If but two yeares yet she could not have three children more viz. Issachar Zebulun and Dinah at several births within the compasse of one seven yeares yea the favourers of that opinion confesse that it must needs be that it was not above a half yeare that she stayed ere she conceived again Mr. Jackson on ch 30. 9. CHAP. XXX Verse 1. RAchel envied her sister Rachels fault ch 37. 11. Num. 11. 29. Psal. 106. 16. Prov. 27. 4. give me children Laying the fault on her husband who yet had children by Leah she speaks this in a womanish passion never considering to whom she spake or by what meanes he should be able to satisfie her desire or else I die For grief Prov. 14. 30. It will be my death and I shall have no desire to live Job 5. 2. Barrennesse counted a reproach v. 23. V. 2. Am I in Gods stead ch 50. 19. God only can give children ch 16. 2. 20. 18. Psal. 113 9. 127. 3. Therefore Isaac and Hannah and others go to God by prayer for children Gen. 25. 21. 1 Sam. 1. 10. V. 3. Bilhah By the example of Sarah ch 16. 2. heare upon my knees Brought forth and nursed on my knees ch 50. 23. that I may So she calls them hers and she gives them names v. 6 8. claiming a kinde of motherhood in her Hand-maids issue the Hand-maids children by nature were the Dames by adoption or in right of her husband by the Law given afterwards in Exod. 21. 4. And so
it could not brook it And the rather because Haman was of that cursed stock which God would have rooted out for their bitter emnity against the Jews Yet Mordecai's humility appears in returning to the Kings gate his ordinary standing and calling presently after his so high advancement in chap. VI. 6 12. had told them that he was a Jew This he did to satisfie them verse 4 and justifie himself which shewed the true cause of his refusal and moved Haman to such wrath all the Jewes Wrath raging verse 6 and unmeasurable the rather out of his inveterate hatred against all Jewes Nisan Nisan is the Chaldee name And Abib the Hebrew name verse 7 of the first moneth whereunto our March doth mostwhat answer In which moneth the Lots were cast that shewed Adar the twelfth moneth to be the luckie moneth for executing that bloody Decree The Commandment for which bloody butchery was issued forth on the thirteenth day of the foresaid Nisan chap. III. 12. from moneth to moneth All this was or might be done in one day Adar Whereunto our February mostwhat answereth as beginning on the eleventh day of our moneth scattered abroad Not into Babylon only verse 8 but also into Persia and all the many Provinces of it And there remained behinde after the Proclamation of Cyrus and the Returne made with Zerubbabel Ezra II. Amighty scattering though this comprehend the ten Tribes also And a shameful neglect of the Jewes in not Returning to suffer them Lest they infect and infest the Kings good subjects I will pay The Jewes paid great tributes to the King verse 9 In recompence of that losse if they were destroyed Haman would pay this great summe Ten thousand Talents The ten thousand Talents at three hundred seventy five pound the Talent comes to 3750000. See Observations on Eoxd XXXVIII 24. to the hands Of the Kings treasurers his Ring See chap. verse 10 VIII 2 8. Gen. XLI 42. Luke XV. 22. 1 King XXI 8. Dan. VI. 17. given unto thee The grace of Favourites verse 11 first moneth All haste used verse 12 Malice expedites mischief young and old Monstrous cruelty verse 13 twelfth moneth Delayed so long because of the lot ver 7. else folly in Haman to have made so long a delay Gods Providence seene in ordering the lot so as there might be so long a time between the decree and the execution for the using of means to prevent it for a prey To encourage the enemies and murderers Which prey the Jewes in their case punctualy abstained from chap. 8. 11. and ch IX 10 15 16. sent raiment That he might be fit to come into the Court chapter IV verse 4 ver 2. and unto her who is not called This custome and law was partly for state and honour verse 11 partly for safety and security Some had a general calling and licence by their places and offices about the King but this extended not to the Queen her self deliverance arise Mordecai's faith and confidence verse 14 but thou Mordecai's peremptorinesse with Esther in such a case of extremity ver 13. And assuring her of certain danger and destruction from God if she insisted on pretended danger from the King three dayes verse 16 night or day Of Fasting see the Annotations on Joel I. 14. This length of time might be endured in that hot Countrey and in a case of such extremity yet see chap. V. 1. Haman might well know of the Jewes fasting and mourning in Shushan But not of this of Esthers and her maids likewise But not three whole dayes chap. V. 1. and if I perish She might suspect her countenance lesse beautiful upon her Fasting and remember the Kings rigor against Vasthi yet this is her pious resolution See Gen. XLIII 14. on the third day chapter V verse 1 Whiles they in Shushan continued the Fast. his royal throne She takes the time when most likely she might finde the King and have accesse half of the Kingdome Again verse 3 ver 6. and chap. VII 2. So Herod Mark VI. 23. a kinde of Proverbial speech not literaly to be taken the King and Haman Both together verse 4 that she might accuse him face to face before the King and so prevent delayes or mediations to morrow Gods secret and over-ruling hand of Providence herein verse 8 nor moved for him It seemes lesse respect used now then before verse 9 else Haman belies him And hither Mordecai comes now without sackcloth on the third day of the Feast upon just causes no doubt of fifty Cubits high Monstrous high verse 14 and suddenly erected on that night Gods wondrous Providence chapter VI verse 1 See the like 1 Sam. XXIII 27. 1 Kings XXII 34. Seene as in Esthers putting off her Petition to the next day so here in his ordering the Kings waking and hearing the Chronicles read That so the advancement of Mordecai might intervene Of Gods Providence see in the four living Wights and in the Wheeles Ezek. I. 5 25. and X. 12. read Likely reading to one in bed makes him sleep the sooner to Mordecai the Jew So that the King knew Mordecai to be a Jew verse 10 and could not forget his Grant to Haman against them and yet thus honours him nothing fail Yet the Crowne is not mentioned verse 11 ver 11. Then took Haman Without any replies excuses or objections made begun to fall One Favourite falls at the rising of another verse 13 yet talking High time it was considering the businesse already past on that day verse 14 could not countervaile the Kings damage chapter VII verse 4 The Jewes were many wayes very advantagious to the Persian Monarchs as the Israelites were to Pharaoh in Egypt upon the bed For the banquet verse 8 chap. I. 6. will he force Likely Haman might clasp her feet in his hands to shew the earnestnesse of his Petition for his life that he would not let her go without granting him some favour See 2 Kings IV. 27. Matth. XXVIII 9. covered Hamans face See Job IX 24. 2 Sam. XV. 30. Ezek. XII 6 12. as unworthy to see the Kings face verse 9 or to be seene himself hang The Kings word in those dayes was warrant enough pacified He was not sorry for it afterwards On that day chapter VIII verse 1 The very same day wherein the things in the former Chapter were done the house And his estate as escheated to the King came before the King As one of those chap. I. 14. had told And so the Kings kinsmanby marriage Esther spake yet again Esthers zealous care for the safety of Gods people the Jewes still appears verse 3 after Hamans hanging and Mordecai's advancement in the seconding of her Petition on their behalf with kneeling and tears formerly not mentioned to be used by her to the King golden Scepter She ventures again to go in uncalled verse 4 for her peoples sake See chap. IV. 11. and chap. V. 2. write ye This is another way verse 8 For
solemn assemblies for his worship and service in the beauties of holinesse Or in the comely honours of the Sanctuarie meaning either the comely or honourable places of holinesse the Sanctuary or Church or rather in the beautiful ornaments of holinesse that is holy graces and vertues which with admirable varietie adorne the faithful and their inner man from the womb The second propertie or condition of the subjects of Christs Kingdome to be very numerous as willing so numerous as the dew from the womb of the morning 2 Sam. XVII 12. by a sudden unusual and wonderful increase and multiplication Esay LIV. 1. Micah V. 7. Esay LXVI 9. so numerous shall his youth be his new-borne people Iohn I. 13. and III. 3. Gal IV. 19. Heb. II. 14. 1 Pet. II. 2. See Esay LIII 10. So that these words are not to be understood of the temporal Nativity of Christ from the Virgin or his eternal generation from the Father as some do but of his active spiritual generation of his children the subjects of his Kingdome The Lord hath sworne The Vocation of Christ to his Office of verse 4 Priesthood Jehovah is the Author of it hath sworne Jehovah swears to confirme matters of greatest moment when and where his wisdome pleaseth And upon this point here of Christs eternal Priesthood mans salvation dependeth He swears by himself though that is not here expressed because he hath no greater to swear by Heb. VI. 13 16. Gen. XXII 16. And so by his life Esay XLIX 18. by his soul Jer. LI. 24. by his right-hand and the arme of his strength Esay LXII 8. The result of all which is the same with himself And implying thereby thus much Let me not be accounted what I am namely God the living God the omnipotent God if that which I speak be not true or my promises or threatnings do faile of performance Of Oaths See the Observations on Jer. LI. 14. and my Annotations on Hos. IV. 15. and will not repent Will not change or retract what he hath sworne Num. XXIII 19. James I. 17. Repenting is sometimes ascribed to God as Gen. VI. 6 7. Psal. CVI. 45. 1 Sam. XV. 11. 35. Not that there is any change of minde of will in God as there is in mans repenting But the change is in the work God eternally and unchangably decreeing both as to do the thing so again to change it upon mans repentance or disobedience Jer. XXVI 3 13 19. Of this see more in the Observations on Jer. XV. 6. In all this God condescends to mans weaknesse Heb. VI. 17 18. Shewes the greatnesse and excellency of the thing here avowed that the Lord Christ was lawfully Called and Ordained to be an eternal Priest for us and our salvation for our greater confirmation and consolation herein Thou art The Lord Christ well knew this and could not doubt of the will of the Father herein What then needed this Oath to be made unto him Answ. It was made to him for the use of his Church that his Church might know and be assured of it As that John XI 42. art God saying is as much as doing a Preist So Gen. XIV 18. Heb. VII 1. Melchizedec in type Christ in truth the Antitype The Priests office was to Teach Pray and Sacrifice The High Priest among the Jewes once a year entred into the most Holy place Yet he in all things was not an absolute and sufficient Type of our High Priest Christ the Lord. For he is an eternal High Priest and both King and Priest and his Sacrifice of another nature and himself of another Tribe for ever Not so the Priests after the order of Aaron Heb. VII 23. 34 and chap. IX 12. after the order Or similitude Heb. V. 6. and chap. VII 15. of Melchizedec Much question who this Melchizedec was He was not the Sonne of God himself our Lord and Christ. Very many take him to be Sem the Sonne of Noah who saw both worlds before and after the Flood and lived to the one hundred and fiftieth year of the age of Abraham Yet because Sems genealogie is exactly set down in Scripture and that the Levitical Priests themselves came from him after sundry descents and the Land of Canaan seems not to be Sems habitation which took its name from his younger brother Cham or from Chams sonne Canaan Neither would Abraham so long have forborne his due respects and visitation of Sem in Canaan if Sem had lived there Therefore divers learned men take this Melchizedec to be rather some eminent man in Canaan raised up by God in those corrupt times both good and godly both King and Priest living in Salem after called Jerusalem whose King in Joshuahs time was called Adoni-Zedeck that is Lord of righteousnesse Josh. X. 1. As this man here is called Melchizedec that is King of righteousnesse By which place or near to it Abraham in his returne from this warre and victory was to passe Of this Melchizedec and his Priesthood and the difference of it from Aarons Priesthood the Apostle to the Hebrews chap VII entreateth at large and observeth divers things his Name and Title his greatnesse in that he blessed Abraham and received Tythes of Abraham his being mentioned in Scripture without any Pedegree without father without mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life All these he had as our Saviour himself had them but none of them recorded or registred in the Scripture that he might so become a Type of the eternity of Christs Person and Priesthood verse 3. The Apostle further observeth his Offices that he was both King and Priest and that our Saviour was made such with an oath of God the Father and a Priest of a better Priesthood Covenant and Commandment and that he was made not after the Law of a carnal commandement having carnal successors in his Priesthood but after the power of an endlesse life consecrated for evermore having an eternal Priesthood and unchangeable continuing ever and living ever to make intercession and by his one offering up himself once for all saving them to the uttermost that come to God by him In all which there are manifold resemblances between Christ and Melchizedec and manifold differences between theirs and the Aaronical Priesthood As for those fond and forced dreams of the Papist That Melchizedec offered up to God the sacrifice of bread and wine And therein was a Type and Figure of their sacrifice of the Masse And that thereupon Christ our Lord is said to be a Priest after the order of Melchizedec These may well befal to them who for want of the love of the truth are given up to beleeve lies but are too weak poor and silly for us to trouble our selves withal The Lord at thy right hand The prophesie of Christ the Lord his administration of his Kingly Office verse 5 in this and the next verse The Lord God the Father who will make thine enemies thy footstoole
to Haman Shebna and others A soft answer Chap. chapter XV verse 1 XXV 15. As Gideons to the Ephraimites Judg. VIII And Abigaels apology to David 1 Sam. XXV 32 33. Yet roughnes hard language in some cases circumstances is necessary The tongue Which David stiles his glory verse 2 and he used it accordingly The eyes of the Lord As a well-drawn picture viewes all that come into the roome verse 3 The sinner vainly thinks to hide himself from God by hiding God from himself But the world and our thoughts are to him as a sea of glasse God like the Optick vertue in the eye sees all Iob XXXIV 21 22. tree of life Gen. verse 4 II. 9. Ezek. XLVII 12. Apoc. XXII 2. breach A sting and a staine in the conscience and spirit yea and grieves the spirit of God is prudent Wise he is verse 5 and wiser he will be Psal. XIV 5. much treasure The righteous man is alwayes rich verse 6 and rich in all estates rich in the most precious spiritual things rich in reversions in sure Bills and Bonds rich in propriety he holds all in capite in Christ he is no usurper of them 1 Cor. III. 22. Rom. VIII 32. trouble In getting keeping and fears of losing together with sting of conscience Iob XX. 15. disperse knowledge As Stars diffuse their light Phil. verse 7 II. 15. The sacrifice As good words uttered with a stinking breath verse 8 from rotten lungs Their sacrifice is abominable quoad fontem quoad finem not proceeding from a right principle nor tending to the right end which is Gods glory that should consume all other ends as the Sunne puts out the light of the fire See chap. XXI 27. Amos V. 22. Esay I. 11. and LXVI 3. Jer. VI. 20. and VII 22. but the prayer Esay XLV 11. command ye me The way Prov. verse 9 XXI 4. Their very consciences send up continual poisonous vapours unto God followeth after With might and maine as ravenous creatures have in chase their prey Phil. III. 11 14. resurrection of the dead that is that height of holinesse that accompanieth the resurrection Correction is grievous Being in love with his own ruine verse 10 hateth reproof Being imbittered not bettered by it Hell Job XXVI verse 11 6 Psal. CXXXIX 12. Heb. IV. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though invisible to us loveth not Yea hates verse 12 Amos V. 10. neither will he go As he should Dan. XII 4. 2 Kings IV. 23. Psal. LXXXIV 7. Esay LXVI 20. He saith as Jeroboam 1 Kings XII 28. A merrie heart Acts VI. verse 13 15. and V. 41. Cant. II. 4. This chiefly is true spiritualy broken Is as a limb out of joynt A dejected spirit takes off as it were the wheels of the soul. seeketh knowledge As an hungry man seeks meat verse 14 or a covetous man gold the more he hath the more he desireth feedeth As swine do on swill a continual feast This is eminently true in a good verse 15 clear and chearful conscience 2 Cor. I. 9 12. a little It is not the great cage makes the bird sing verse 16 neither do they sing when they are on the ground but when got up into the aire or on boughs of trees from the ground See chap. XVI 8. and XVII 1 15. Psal. XXXVII 16. 1 Tim. IV. 8. and VI. 6. appeaseth strife Is busie to stint it verse 18 not to stir it up See chap. XXII 24. is made plaine By much practise having gotten an habit verse 19 he dispatcheth duty with delight and comes off with comfort Esay XL. 31. Christs yoak is no more burdensome to him then the wing is to the bird is above In heaven verse 24 and thitherward he goes Phil. III. 20. Col. III. 1. He deals in low and earthly things as a wise man may sport with children but that is not his businesse hell beneath That when the cold grave shall have his body hot hell may not hold his soul. widow That hath none to stick to her verse 25 and stickle for her So to the Shunamite the widow of Sarepta and of the poor Prophet 2 King IV. The thoughts Thoughts are not free verse 26 Jer. VI. 19. pleasant words Mal. III. 16. chap. X. 20. and XXV 11. troubleth Fires his own nest verse 27 when he thinks to feather it and troubles all his houshold with hast and hurrie to get gain studieth His tongue runs not before his wit verse 28 heareth the prayer Psal. verse 29 CXLV 18. 1 Pet. III. 12. the breathing Lam. III. 56. the minde of the spirit Rom. VIII 26 27. Baal hears not though they call on him never so long never so loud 1 Kings XVIII See 2 Chron. XXXIII 13. The light Light and sight are comfortable verse 30 Eccl. XI 7. reproof Better the Vine should bleed verse 32 then die before honour is humility The lower the ebbe the higher the tide verse 33 The lower this foundation of humility is laid the higher shall the roof of honour be over-laid Honour followeth him that flies from it as the shadow doth the body The preparations Or disposings chapter XVI verse 1 verse 9. and chap. XVI 9. and chap. XIX 21. and chap. XX. 24. Ier. X. 23. is from the Lord By the obstetrication of his assistance and by his secret influence and disposing providence beyond mans own imagination Acts XVII 28. Esay X. 7. in his own eyes Chap. verse 2 XXI 2. He thinks his penny good silver But all is not gold that glisters Luke XVI 15. Rom. II. 29. Iudg. XVII 13. we set up a counter for a thousand pounds weigheth the spirits Chap. V. 21. the inside and there discovers a New-found world of wickednesse Commit Luke XII 29. Cast thy burden upon the Lord Psal. LV. 22. as it were verse 3 by a writ of removal 1 Pet. V. 7. Psal. XXXVII 5. established Till then it flickers up and down as Noahs Dove till it return to the Ark. for himself His own glory verse 4 and the demonstration of his goodnesse properties and attributes Rom. XI 36. for the day of evil Iob XXI 30. as they are wicked men and as such looked upon by God though he created them good and he be the absolute Sovereign Lord of all his creatures and his will be both recta and regula He justly keeps orders and ordains such for the day of their deserved punishment Rom. IX 17. 21 22. though hand Chap. verse 5 XI 21. Heb. X. 31. By mercie and truth Of God Chap. XIV 22. verse 6 his mercie in promising his truth in performing Or where these graces are in man there iniquity is purged Piety and grace and the fear of God are a sure token of remission of sins even his enemies Sinne is the make-bate verse 7 Please God Esay XXVII 4 5. and all his creatures are at his beck and check God made Laban and Esau at peace with Iacob Gen. XXXI and XXXIII Chapters A divine sentence Is
one constant course in Nature and its actings Of the Sunne see my Observations on Psal XIX 5. See Job XIV 7 12. Here the earth stands and the Sunne moveth round about it The winde Thus whirleth verse 6 and returneth though in some parts of the world in some moneths of the year they have a very regular and uniforme motion Rivers Runne thither whence they come through pores and passages of the earth verse 7 whereby they lose their saltnesse Thus which way ever we cast our eyes we every where meet with evidences of inconstancie and mutability here below as testimonies of that vanitie which all things under the Sunne are subject unto so that man cannot finde fatisfaction and full content in them full of labour All these things are sweeter in the ambition verse 8 then in the fruition Prov. XXVII 7 20. After our utmost endeavours for plenarie satisfaction in the things of this world and this life we are still to seek because it is not in them we do so but seek for the living among the dead as Luke XXIV 5. And they tyre us in the search and toylesome labour after them and cloy us in the use man cannot utter it If not Solomon then surely no man chap. II. 12. As on the other side our happinesse in God to our joy is unutterable 1 Cor. II. 9. 2 Cor. XII 4. The thing Happinesse cannot be extracted out of the creature verse 9 never was nor ever can be no new thing Though some kinde of new inventions be as Gunpowder Printing the Mariners Compasse c. yet but of the old stamp as to this maine use and purpose they come still from defective and insufficient principles of happinesse chap. III. 15. no new thing out of which man can extract real content comfort and satisfaction or any principle of true happinesse and blessednesse more then out of old and former things And indeed Solomon speaks here of natural things and their natural actions This is new Such new things as may so farre surpasse the discoveries before verse 10 as to be able to satisfie the heart and make man happie They are indeed new-nothings There is no remembrance If some new things be found out verse 11 as many old things are forgotten How many things never Recorded How many ancient Records totaly perished How many fragments remaining And so shall it be of things hereafter No new thing is or shall be more pregnant of satisfaction to mans heart and happiness then hath beene heretofore No such thing on earth or in the creature can be found Only it is in God and in the new creature from him when he gives us a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. XXXVI 26. puts a new spirit within us Ezek. XI 19. and a new name upon us Esay LXII 2. I the Preacher None had more abilities verse 12 and helps to extract happinesse out of the creatures and these worldly things then Solomon had And therefore his verdict may be credited And I gave my heart Solomon made this point his task and that in the extent and utmost employment of his great wisdome chap. II. 3 9. chap. IX 10. verse 13 all things 1 Kings IV. 33. and chap. X. 23 24. the several kinds of them all natural causes and effects all humane counsel and events and vexation of spirit Active enough hereunto verse 14 far enough from making him truly happy Chap. XII 12. chap. I. 18. That which is crooked Chap. VII 13. verse 15 The most excellent natural knowledge will not do either the one or the other rectifie what is amisse or supply what is defective I communed And this without vaine boasting verse 16 1 Kings III. 12. and chap. IV. 30. and X. 7 23. 2 Kings III. and IV. and V. and X. none can out-do him herein and to know madnesse and folly Chap. II. 12. verse 17 and VII 23. experimental knowledge he did practise himself in He found by experience that neither course could quiet or settle the heart of man chap. XI 8 9. 1 Cor. I. 20. In much wisdome is much grief Many wayes verse 18 and upon manifold occasions Verse 14. I said The summe of this Chapter is well set down in the Great Annotations chapter II verse 1 I will prove thee with mirth Missing of his expected good from the knowledge of the creature he now resolveth to search what good may be found in the use and fruition of it And first in the sensual pleasure of it In mirth here Which most men count the only life to sing all sorrow and care away and melt in mirth jollity and jovizansses which emasculates the spirit and drawes out and draines away the very vigour and vivacitie of it when they indulge to themselves and give up their heart to it and make it the businesse of their life to pour out themselves in delights and wallow and drown themselves in them This sort of men after Epicurus was borne were called Epicureans mad And indeed many mad men are very merry verse 2 But it is but like the crackling of thornes chap. VII 6. and hath sorrow in the bottome of it wine yet acquainting He would trie verse 3 by mixing wisdome and wine together mitigating the grief of the one with the pleasure of the other till I might see This the end of his inquirie by this experiment whether this voluptuous course of living were best to sweeten the mortal life of man during all his dayes I made me great works He shewes what magnificent and royal provisions he made in order to his foresaid designe verse 4 Not trifling ones but adequate acts and objects to his person and state as Ester I. 4. These things he had as materials for his wisdome houses Besides what David had formerly built 2 Chron. II. 3. Vineyards Cant. VIII 11 12. Besides what David had 1 Chron. XXVII 27. gardens and orchards Cant. VI. 2. and chap. IV. verse 5 12 15. as paradises for amenitie and delight We read of Hortus pensilis a garden hanging in the aire made by an Assyrian King for the pleasure of his Queen pooles Chap. IV. 15. and VII 4. verse 6 These are Princely works 2 Kings XX. 20. Neh. II. 14. the wood Of Forrests and likely in those Gardens and Orchards which for their spaciousnesse might be called woods servants verse 7 and maidens See those servants mentioned Ezra II. 58. Neh. VII 60. cattel More then David had 1 Chron. XXVII 29 30 31. silver and gold In all abundance verse 8 2 Chron. I. 15. men-singers See 2 Sam. XIX 35. he laboured to take all pleasure in pleasures also my wisdome Verse 3. verse 9 by wisdome to minde what real good could be extracted from them Thus he heeds his maine end I with-held not Luke XII verse 10 19. cleane contrary to that Rom. XIII 14. Then I looked In the serious review he findes all to be but a feeding upon the winde verse 11 nothing but labour for his paines
useful Informer though a bad Judge Crackling of thornes Psal. LVIII 9. verse 6 Ovid. Trist. l. 5. Elog. 8. Flammáque de stipula nostra brevisque fuit Prov. XIV 13. Surely oppression Chap. IV. 1. and chap. V. 8. Deut. XXVIII 29 33. Psal. CXIX 134. Jer. VI. 6. and chap. XXII 17. Ezek. XXII 29. maketh a wise man mad To see it in the world upon others to undergo it himself No man is so wise but he is sometimes over-borne with passions and rage and indignation a gift Job XV. 34. Psal. XXVI 10. Prov. XVII 23. and the Observations upon it Deut. XVI 19. Exod. XXIII 8. Better is the end This maxime holds in many things verse 8 where the beginning is difficult the end sweet James V. 11. Psal. XXXVII 37. Many graces run in the race of a Christian course only perseverance to the end gaineth the prize crownes the enterprize and action Matth. X. 22. Heb. III. 6. Apoc. II. 10 26. Many seeme to set out for heaven with much eagernesse as Orpah from Moab but returne back put their hand to the plough but after look back as Lots wife run well but after fall off Gal. V. 7. leave their first love Apoc II. 4. begin in the spirit and end in the flesh But better they had never known the way of righteousnesse c. 2 Pet. II. 20 21. Heb. X. 26. 27 38 39. Some here understand the end of angry contention For so the Hebrew word sometimes signifies as Prov. XVII 9. And so the sense â—wil best agree with that which followeth the paâ—ient Prov. XIV 29. and XV. 18. 1 Thes. V. 14. James V. 7 8 11. Heb. XII 1. And patient therefore under oppression waiting on God till he bring both ends together not looking only on 〈◊〉 present face of things but hoping and expecting that they which sowe in reares may reap in joy Psal. LXXIII 17 18. Esay X. 12 24 25 26. 2 Sam XVI 11 12. Habak II. v. 3 â— the proud in spirit Exod. V. 2. Prov. XIII 10. angry Psal. verse 9 XXXVII 8. Anger is an evil counsellor hasty to prevent reason The angry man is like him that casteth firebrands like that demoniak Marke II. 3. Prov. XIV 17. and XVI 32. resteth It may rush in and be as a passinger for a while for a fit in a wise man as in David 1 Sam. XXV 21 22. and in the Disciples Luke IX 54 55. But it resteth remaineth lodgeth as an inmate abideth domineereth only in the bosome and breast of fools is there as in its proper place Yet in some cases anger is just and a dutie Ephes. IV. 26. Mark III. 5. But the sunne must never go down upon our wrath We must not then hastily be angry as to murmur at Gods Providence when things go not as we could wish when we see Oppression prevailing Psal. XXXVII 1 Prov. XXIII 17 18. and XXIV 19. We must be slow to anger James I. 19 20. Prov. XIX 11. and chap. XV. 18. Tit. I. 7. That the former dayes And yet this hath been a continual complaint in all dayes and ages verse 10 and specialy by them that would be thought wise and good Matth. XXIII 30. And yet the dayes are the worse because these men themselves are no better Acts VII 51. Truth is some dayes and ages are worse then others And we should be sensible of and sorry for the evil of our dayes yet not be unmindful of the good things of our present dayes that we do enjoy much lesse repine at Gods Providence in the ordering of the times a thing we are too prone to and the thing here checked but our wisdome should be to leave Gods work to himself and for us to serve God in our generation and walk with God as Noah did in the worst of times every one to amend one and so the dayes would be better Ephes. V. 15 16. Wisdome Good without it verse 11 but better with it Prov. XIV 24. and such to Gods glory and the good of himself and others Prov. III. 9. Luke XVI 9. 1 Tim. VI. 11 18 19. The poor mans wisdome is oft despised chap. IX 15 16. A defence Both verse 12 good and useful But Wisdome the more excellent Job XXVIII 15. Prov. VIII and XVI 16. giveth life Prov. III. 16. and IX 11. Whereas riches cannot Psal. XLIX 6 9. but sometimes taketh away the life of the owners thereof Prov. I. 19. Consider the work of God See verse 13 view and ponder the work of God his over-ruling hand and Providence in all the affairs of the world When thou art apt to complaine of the times and oppressions therein and the crooked courses and crosses thereof look up above the creatures and all second causes and acknowledge and acquiesce in Gods wisdome and justice infinite above ours who would not suffer or permit such things to prevaile if he were not so wise and powerful as to bring good out of evil light out of darknesse order out of confusion and to make all serve unto his own glory He can use crooked tooles to make streight work And we cannot set things streight or make the man streight that is borne crooked we cannot amend things amisse nor rectifie what he hath made crooked Job XXXIV 12. His purposes must stand and cannot be altered or resisted Esay XIV 24 27. Job IX 12. This consideration wrought upon Aaron Levit. X. 3. upon Eli 1 Sam. III. 18. upon David 2. Sam. XV. 26. Iohn XVIII 11. See Iob IX 4. we must make our own burden lighter by our patient bearing it In the day of prosperity Enjoy it verse 14 with a chearful and thankful heart and be mindful that the more wages requires the more work but in the day of adversity consider God intermingles both like checker-work As the Physician ministers sometimes Corrasives sometimes Cordials sometimes lets blood even to swooning sometimes useth Restoratives We should consider this Lam. III. 28. 33 40. Heb. XII 3 12. Mic. VI. 9. Psal. XCIV 12. hath set the one That we should not either surfet in prosperity or despond in adversity Lam. III. 38. Esay XLV 7. finde nothing after him What shall after befal him whether prosperity or adversity or nothing better for him and his advantage then what God hath ordered and done All things have I seene He confirmeth the former point of Gods dark and wonderful Providence verse 15 as aforesaid by his own observation and experience in his life-time Esay XLV 15. There is a just man As Abel Zacharias Naboth Stephen and Martyrs all Matth. V. 10. Hab. I. 13. See 2 Kings XXII 20. Esay LVII 1. a wicked man Job XXI 7. Jer. XII 1 2. This is a sore stumbling block even to good and wise men But it should teach them and all That there is a just and righteous day of doome to come Acts XVII 31. Rom. II. 5. And if wicked men live long thereby they aggravate their sinne and God so shewes his
XXVIII 1. Dan. III. 16 17 18. Psal. III. 6. and XXVII 3. and XLVI 3. Job XI 15. Luke XXI 28. Prov. IV. 18. Some thus And wisdome will change the boldnesse of his face to more modesty The Kings commandment Obedience in the Lord verse 2 and for the Lord Acts V. 29. the oath of God Whereby thou hast sworne allegeance to thy Prince 1 Pet. II. 13. See Ezek. XVII 15 21. So as this is both a limitation and an enforcement of this duty Papists can slight this oath And some other too to go out of his sight Turne not thy back to him discontentedly verse 3 fling not away in a chafe But forbear and submit Prov. XXV 15. and chap. XXX 32. If thou hast offended him provoke him not more by persisting in it What dost thou Prov. verse 4 XXX 31. Job XXXIV 18. Yet he may be admonished and altered as 1 Sam. XIV 45. as Elias Micaiah Nathan and other Prophets did he is not absolute as God is Job IX 12. And as the Pope would be as the Canonists make him Whatsoever pleaseth him Such was their power specialy in the Eastern Empires the Commandment Of God verse 5 and the King shall feele Know experimentaly no evil No danger of punishment ver 3. But being morigerous and obedient shall finde good and encouragement rather Rom. XIII 3 4. Ephes. VI. 8. 1 Tim. II. 2. a wise mans heart Yeelds not blinde obedience But discernes when and how both the season and the meanes and manner of obeying so to apply himself to the King as to prevent his displeasure to gaine his favour and yet to preserve his conscience and allegeance to the King of Kings See 1 Chron. XII 32. time A well chosen season verse 6 which is the greatest advantage to any enterprize and action Prov. XV. 23. Amos V. 13. Acts XXII 25 29. and chap. XXIII 6 7. miserie of man Is great for not knowing and observing that point of time that proper season to every action as the next verse expresseth For he knoweth not Jer. verse 7 VIII 7. Luke XIX 42 44. Man cannot foresee to prevent the miserie He is in the dark in regard of future events He cannot so much as fore-appoint his own actions for the future much lesse foresee the consequences issues which would follow thereupon Prov. XXVII 1. James IV. 14. Therefore his misery is great upon him not knowing that point of time and exact season only fit for transacting and dispatching his great affairs which way is but one And he so having a thousand wayes to misse the mark and but one to hit it Difficult then is this though not alwayes altogether impossible Prov. XXII 3. and XXVII 12. Power over the spirit To retaine breath and life verse 8 to keep it from going away to prolong it or to adjourne and proroge death Psalme XLIX 7 10. Heb. IX 27. no man no King can do it The syth of death mowes down as well the Lilies of the Crowne as the grasse of the field no discharge in that warre No weapon againstit no dismission from it no vacation or exauctoration Some apply this verse to the power of a King over the life of a man and that there is no power in a man to withstand it and escape it Prov. XVI 14. neither shall wickednesse Sinfull shifts avoid it though they turne every way move every stone make a Covenant with death and hell Esay XXVIII 15 18. Ruleth over another to his own hurt Through his tyrannical rule verse 9 and evil government he comes to hurt punishment and destruction Esay X. 12. and chap. XIV 4. 23. 1 Kings XV. 30. Thus he proceeds to another vanity verse 10. The wicked buried Such wicked Rulers buried magnificently verse 10 who had come and gone In the administration of Government as the phrase elsewhere is to go in and out Numb XXVII 17. from the place of the holy Seat of judicature Where the Holy one sits among the Judges and Rulers as Lord Paramount were forgotten Their names perished even in the places where they had so domineered and been flattered and been buried Psalme XXXVII 9 10 35 36. Prov. X. 7. Because sentence Psal. verse 11 XXXVII and Psal. LXXIII God is patient willing men should repent 2 Pet. II. 9. Rom. II. 4. Esay XLVIII 2. But men abuse this patience of God unto presumption Fsay V. 19. Ier. XVII 15. 2. Pet. III. 4. Matth. XXIV 48 49. Ezek. XII 22. therefore the heart Therefore wicked Rulers go on more boldly and other wicked men abuse this patience of God unto presumption But yet Gods forbearance is no acquittance If he be slow yet he is sure the deeper he draweth his arrow the soarer it woundeth his delay abused doubles the blow when it cometh Though a sinner Yea though he commit the same sinne an hundred times over verse 12 and his dayes be prolonged In prosperity and his punishment be delayed yet surely I know Here he answereth that Tentation whereby the godly are offended and the wicked hardened well with them Psal. LXXIII 1. Esay III. 10. He inverts the order to begin with the remuneration of good men to strengthen their faith and comfort them against this tentation that they may neither fret nor murmur but go on to hold fast their integrity not be well with the wicked But very ill verse 13 Esay III. 11. Num XXXII 23. Psal. XI 6. Nay even his prosperity shall slay him and this Sun-shine ripen them to ruine Neither shall he prolong his dayes Unlesse it be for a curse And all that while living he is truly dead dead in sinne dead in Law Mat. VIII 22. 1 Tim. V. 6. Col. II. 13. Luke XV. 24. Rom. VII 9. Ephes. II. 5 7. That there be just men This vanitie and vexation he doth more then once insist upon verse 14 It hath gravelled great Divines and Heathen wise moral men But all this is done and falls out here upon the earth as it is in the words of the Text. The wicked live in pleasure and receive their good things here James V. 5. Luke XVI 25. And the godly receive their rods Physick and Surgery here Yet this Solomon speaketh not to censure the Providence of God in this distribution of things but according to judgment of flesh and blood and thereby to shew the vanity of these earthly things using an argument against them like to that argument used against Idolatry Deut. IV. 19. Then I commended mirth Some make this a sensual and carnal deduction from the former passage and observation verse 15 But it seemes rather to accord with that sense formerly expressed chap. II. 24. and III. 12 13 22. and V. 18. That is all that can be reaped from all our labours in earthly things And that will make our comforts to be much more comfortable and our troubles to be farre lesse troublesome Whereas the contrary puts us under the reigne of continual unthankfulnesse and indisposeth us
used of those aprons or girdings which of twigs twisted or wreathed rather then leaves sowed together our first parents made to cover their shame with a rent Or rags burning Sun-burning tanning gates Cities verse 26 Lam. I. 4. She The Land of Iurie or the mother-City Ierusalem seven women Chap. chapter IV verse 2 III. 25. Such should be the paucity of men surviving as chap. XIII 2. that is uncouth immodest motion and sollicitation should fall out and finde place with them In that day After these calamities overpast when the Lord shall have washed c. as it is ver 4. the branch The Messias chap. XI 1. Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. Jer. XXIII 5. and XXXIII 15. Yet some understand this here of the Church And so to the end of this short Chapter of the Lord The Messiah himself And likewise the Church and her beauty and holinesse and defence and shade and shelter come and spring all from the Lord. and the fruit of the land Literaly And may be applied spiritualy that remaineth The remnant that shall escape verse 3 be left and survive Altar The brazen Altar in the Court before the doore the voice of the Lord Not of the Seraphs I send The Unity of the Deity for us The Trinity of the Persons send me Being so fitted as formerly he now promptly offers himselfe make the heart of this people fat This God doth not by infusing any wickednesse or corruption of any kinde into them but indirectly and by accident and consequent thus By not hindering it but permitting it justly for their sinnes withholding or withdrawing his Restraining Grace which holds them in as a Grayhound is held in from an hare by a slip Denying his blessing to the meanes of Grace not vouchsafing his special and free grace and assistance to them but withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit which things he is not bound to give to any and justly leaving them so both to all Satans tentations and his instruments And also to their owne vile lusts the inbred hardnesse of their hearts rebellion of their wills and the universal corruption of their natures which enslaves them to sinne and fires them after it yea the more for any opposition of Gods Commands Word or Works or any meanes else used to the contrary as we see Lime burne with water cast upon it Even so the Heathen could say Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimúsque negata according with that of the Apostle Rom. VII verse 8 13. Yea God justly suffering and presenting such objects and occasioning such things to fall out as are not simply evil in themselves yet through their default will prove stumbling-blocks unto them as whereupon their own wicked hearts will still work and improve their own induration excecation and irritation to further sinning Thus they willingly fall further into sinfull actions The power of doing which acts as they are acts are yet from God alone in whom we live and move and have our being but the obliquity malignity and evil of them is from the wicked Agent And all this God doth in a way of justice It is a just thing with God when men wilfully winkand shut their eyes against the light And when they harden their hearts and stop their eares against him his Word and Will and Works It is just with him in maner aforesaid to let them have and enjoy what they so love and desire to have and enjoy And so to punish sin with sin For all the premises see Deut. XXVIII 28. and XXIX 2 4. Psal. LXIX 23. and LXXVIII 32. and LXXXI 12. and CVI. 7. Esay XXVIII 13. and XXIX 10. and XLIV 18. Jer. V. 31. Ezek. II. 5 7. and III. 7. and XX. 25. Zech. VII 11 12. Matth. XIII 14. John XII 37. Acts XIV 16. Rom. I. 21 22 26 28. and II. 4 5. and Chap. VII ver 8 9 11 13 23. and XI 8. 10. 2 Cor. II. 15 16. 2 Thes. II. 10 11 12. 2 Tim. III. 13. Heb. VI. 4 6 7. Apoc. XVI 9 11. All this I say is just for Him who knoweth how and orders withal out of the infinitenesse of his wisdome and goodnesse so as to make them serve his providence for the producing of good out of evill the greetest good out of the greatest sinne as Acts IV. 28. See my Annotations on Ezek. III. 20. Lord verse 11 how long Shall this sad condition last utterly desolate Yet there is mention of a Reserve v. 13. farre away Into Assyria verse 12 and Chaldea yea some extend this to the last destruction by Vespasian and Hadrian the Romane Emperours But yet in it shall be a tenth God will still in his dreadfulest judgements preserve a small remnant verse 13 to continue his Church Thus he concludes with this comfort here as he likewise concluded his first and second Sermon a Teil-tree Or a Line-tree of goodly boughs and leaves and an oak So most do render the word whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves As in winter so the holy seed The seed of Saints The application of the similitude These God reserves by them to propagate his Church Rom. XI 15. And it came to passe chapter VII verse 1 The fifth Sermon in the dayes of Ahaz In the third or the beginning of the fourth yeare of his reigne For within the fourth of his reigne was Pekah slaine 2 Kings XV. 30 33. in the twentieth yeare of Jotham reckoning so both the four yeares of Jotham in his father Uzziahs life-time and the sixteen yeares of his reigne after the death of his father Or rather reckoning from the beginning of Jothams sixteen And so this will fall out in the fourth of Ahaz See my Observations on 2 King I. pag. 103. Of the death of Ahaz See chap. XIV 28. that Rezin Rezin and Pekah severaly by themselves had made some attempt against Iudah in the end of Iothams or the very beginning of the reigne of Ahaz and then mightily prevailed 2 Kings XV. 37. 2 Chron. XXVIII 5 8. But now joyntly they bend their forces together to make a full conquest yet in this prevaile not And so 2 Kings XVI 5. One Rezon was the first King of Syria 1 Kings XI 23. Syria See the Observations on 2 Sam. VIII 5. as the trees Their hearts quaked and quivered verse 2 as an aspin leafe And the rather because of what they had formerly suffered from them severaly Which put them instantly upon dispatching of messengers for aide unto the King of Assyria which God sends here to disswade them from 2 Kings XVI 7 8. Shear-jashub Signifies the remnant shall returne verse 3 This name given him in a prophetical way as that of his other sonne chap. VIII 3. and those of Hosheah chap. I. 4 6 9. Here brought with Esay because he was to make use of him in his message to Ahaz v. 16. upper poole The very place where Rabshakeh afterwards stood ch XXXVI 2. 2 Kings X. 17. See the
by Jeremiah And was after executed in the reigne of Zedekeih when the Messengers of those neighbouring Kings verse 3. came to Zedekiah to congratulate him in the Beginning of his reigne or to sollicit him to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of his reigne chap. XXVIII 1 10. Or otherwise Jehojakim in chap. XXVII v. 1. must by errour of the Scribe be crept in for Zedekiah mentioned againe v. 12. which thing in all Copies may not be admitted He shall be called The Lord our Righteousness chap. XXIII 6. She shall be called The Lord our Righteousnesse chap. XXXIII 16. The Lord is our Righteousnesse Iehojakim is made King by Pharaoh Necho and paies to him the tribute imposed 2 Kings XXIII 31 32 34 35. slaies Uriah the Prophet Ier. XXVI 20 23. And in the third or fourth year of his reigne and first of Nebuchadnezzar he was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar as Jeremie foretold chap. XXV 1 11. And he served him three years 2 Kings XXIV 1. In which time he burnes the Book written by Baruc from the mouth of Jeremie chap. XXXVI After rebels against Nebuchadnezzar And at last after that 2 Kings XXIV 2. he is taken by him and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon 2 Chron. XXXVI 6. But dying by the way his dead body is cast out and he buried with the burial of an Asse as Jeremie foretold chap. XXII 18 19. and XXXVI 30. And so he slept with his fathers 2 Kings XXIV 6. Zedekiah saw with his eyes the eyes of the King of Babylon But not Babylon it self where yet he should die in captivity Having his eyes put out by Nebuchadnezzar at Ribla Jer. XXXII 4 5. and LII 10 11. Ezek. XII v. 13. and XVII 16. In the first year of Zedekiahs captivity and nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan came in the fifth moneth seventh day unto Jerusalem and after two dayes preparation and taking order about it on the tenth day burnt the Temple Kings house and all the great mens houses Or began to burne them on the seventh day which fire continued burning and came to its height or end on the tenth day Jer. LII 12. 2 Kings XXV 8. Jewes carried capives into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in his I. Year and third or fourth moneth of Jehojakim Daniel and his three Companions and others And part of the Vessels of the Temple Jer. XXV 1. Dan. I. 1 6. VII Year and eleventh and last of Jehojacin 3023. Persons And it seemes more Vessels of the Temple Jer. LII 28. 2 Chron. XXXVI 7. VIII Year with Jehojakim men of might and apt for warre 10000. out of all Jerusalem and 1000. Smyths and more Vessels of the Temple and cut them in pieces 2 Kings XXIV 13 14 16. 2 Chron. XXXVI 10. And at that time Mordecai Ester II. 5 6. And Ezekiel who calls it his Deportation Ezek XXXIII 21. and XL. 1. XVIII and XIX years and last of Zedekiah He carried away Zedekiah and 832. persons And all the rest of the Vessels of the Temple great and small And by Nebuzaradan the Captaine of the Guard burnt the Citie of Ierusalem and the Temple brake down the Walls slew Serajah the High Priest and the second Priest and twelve other principal men and sixty others brought to him to Ribla by Nebuzaradan Ier. LII 11 29. 2 Kings XXV 8 21. 2 Chron. XXXVI 17 18 19. XXIII Year and fifth of Zedekiah's captivity by the aforesaid Nebuzaradan 745. Ier. LII 30. This was after the murder of Gedaliah Their number at their Returne out of the Captivity was farre greater Ezra II. 64 65. Neh. VII 66 67. Leopard Or rather an Ounse chapter XIII verse 23 or Cat-a-mountaine I am weary with repenting God repents chapter XV verse 6 see Gen. VI. 6 7. and in many other places But this is not properly Repentance such as is in man Man Repents with trouble of minde and conscience for some fault or out of ficklenesse or through some oversight or impotence In which respects God cannot Repent Num. XXIII 19. 1 Sam. XV. 29. Mal. III. 6. Iames I. 17. But he is said to Repent improperly And so this and other Humane Passions in some semblance are ascribed to him improperly for our better apprehension And thus God is said to Repent when he doth as men use to do when they Repent 1 Sam. XXV 33 34. When he undoeth what he had done before revoketh a doome that he had passed before stayeth the execution of a Sentence that formerly he had denounced withholdeth the punishment denounced against sinne when the Persons repent of the evil of sinne So Iudg. X 13. 15 16. 1 Kings XXI 21 27 29. Ionah Iâ—I 10. Ier. XVIII 8 10. and XLII 10. Psal. CVI. 45. The end being thus accomplished for which the doome was denounced Without which Repentance in man God will not Repent of his purposed punishment Esay XIV 24 27. Ier. IV. 28. Zech. VIII 14. Thus Repentance in man produceth this kinde of Repentance in God Man Repenting changeth his minde will and act But God Repenting willing this change in man altereth the act His minde and purpose abiding still the same Ier. XX. 16. Shallum This seemes to be the same with Jehoachaz chapter XXII verse 11 and Johanan 2 Kings XXIII 30. 1 Chron. III. 15. And that Shallum named 1 Chron. III. 15. seemes to be another from this Shallum as being reckoned distinctly the fourth sonne of Iosiah and haply dying before his father Iosiah See the Observations on 2 Kings XXIII 31. Branch Is taken for the Messias And so chapter XXIII verse 5 chap. XXXIII 15. and Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. Esay IV. 2. XI 1. Yet that King Esay XXXII 12. and XXXIII 17. seemes properly and immediately to be understood of Ezekiah of Christ only Typicaly And that Esay VIII 18. and XLIX 1. and chap. LXI 1. of Esay partly but of Christ principaly As likewise that Esay XLIX 1. And that Esay VIII 8. Of Esay literaly of Christ figuratively Heb. II. 14. And againe Esay XLII 1. of Christ principaly of Cyrus Typicaly That Esay XLI 2. of Cyrus only Many speeches of the Prophets concerning themselves and others who were Types of Christ are in the New Testament applied to Christ being one way and in one maner verified of them and another way and in another maner also many times fulfilled in him And so those words 2 Sam. VII 14. compared with 1 Chron. XXII 10. and Heb. I. 5. And those Heb. II. 13. Yea in diverse Prophecies some Particulars agree to the Type and not to the Truth as Psal. XXII 6. and XL. 12. Some to the Truth and not to the Type as Psal. XVI 10. with Acts II. 29. and XIII 36 37. Or to the Type in one sense to the Truth in another so in those Psalmes wherein David is a Type of Christ as Psal. II. and XVI and XXII and those in which Solomon as Psal. XLV and LXXII Christ is called the Branch because springing up